1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a high-temperature and high-pressure treatment device having a function of annealing articles to be treated such as LSI (Large Scale Integration) semiconductors (articles, particularly sheet articles), typically Si wafers, under an atmosphere of high-temperature and high-pressure gases within a pressure vessel, and a further function of sequentially carrying the articles to be treated in or out of the pressure vessel in order to continuously apply annealing to the articles to be treated.
2. Description of the Related Art
Those as shown in FIGS. 5 to 8 have been heretofore known as a high-temperature and high-pressure treatment device having a function of annealing articles to be treated such as LSI semiconductors (articles, particularly sheet articles) under an atmosphere of high-temperature and high-pressure gases within a pressure vessel, and sequentially carrying the articles to be treated in or out of the pressure vessel. FIG. 5 is a top view (a plan view) representative of the entire constitution of a conventional high-temperature and high-pressure treatment device, FIG. 6 is a view taken on arrow A in FIG. 5, FIG. 7 is a view taken on arrow B in FIG. 5, and FIG. 8 is a view taken on arrow C in FIG. 5. FIG. 6 omits to show a press frame module in addition to a press frame, and FIG. 8 omits to show a module for carrying articles to be treated in addition to a bottom closure elevating frame.
The high-temperature and high-pressure treatment devices shown in FIGS. 5 to 8 comprise a pressure vessel 3, a top closure 2, a bottom closure 4, a press frame 1 and the like which are directly participated in annealing. Articles to be treated are arranged within the pressure vessel 3, the top closure 2 and the bottom closure 4 are closed, the pressure vessel 3 is interiorly maintained at an atmosphere of high pressure gases mainly comprising an inert gas such as argon by high pressure gas generating means not shown, and the interior of the pressure vessel 3 is heated by a heating device 15 disposed interiorly of the pressure vessel 3. The article to be treated are exposed to the high-temperature and high-pressure gas atmosphere whereby filling and contactness of contact holes, pier holes, and grooves formed in a wiring film or the like on the articles to be treated can be enhanced.
Wafer-like articles to be treated are normally subjected to handling as a lot in a state that they are received into a cassette 16 and stacked in plural number. For continuously annealing a plurality of articles to be treated every lot, the high-temperature and high-pressure treatment devices shown in FIGS. 5 to 8 have a function of sequentially carrying articles to be treated (cassettes) 16 in or out of the pressure vessel 3. To this end, more specifically, there are provided a bottom closure moving frame 11, a bottom closure elevating frame 12, a bottom closure elevating device 13, and a bottom closure moving device 17.
Where the articles to be treated are carried in or out of the pressure vessel 3, first, the press frame 1 stood upright on a carriage 8 is moved in a horizontal direction along a rail member 10 on a base frame 7 in accordance with control of a carriage moving device 9 to secure a sufficient space below the pressure vessel 3. Subsequently, the bottom closure moving frame 11 is likewise moved in a horizontal direction along the rail member 10 on the base frame 7 by the bottom closure moving device 17 so that the bottom closure elevating frame 12 assumes a position of the space, that is, a position below the pressure vessel 3. Then, the bottom closure elevating frame 12 is moved upward by the bottom closure elevating device 13 to carry the articles to be treated in or out of the pressure vessel 3. Further, the bottom closure moving frame 11 is again moved in a horizontal direction and opposite to the pressure vessel 3 by the bottom closure moving device 17, the bottom closure elevating frame 12 is moved upward by the bottom closure elevating device 13 to move the cassettes to a position near a wafer handling unit 14, and the articles to be treated are supplied to or removed from the cassettes by the handling unit (robot) 14. The press frame 1 is again returned to the pressure vessel 3. The provision of the apparatus constitution capable repeating such a control as described enables continuous annealing of the plurality of articles to be treated every lot. In FIGS. 5 and 7, reference numeral 32 denotes a temporary deposit station, which is provided opposite to the robot 14 on the vessel frame 6.
In case of LSI semiconductors or like assumed to be articles to be treated, in the stage of treat, when dust or the like is adhered, a normal operation as an electric circuit is not assured. Therefore, it is desired ideally that treatment be done under the environment entirely free from dust, many of high-temperature and high-pressure treatment devices are installed in a clean room. It is not desirable that a single apparatus occupies a large space within a clean room having a limited volume, and a demand for miniaturization of apparatus is extremely high.
On the other hand, in case of the high-temperature and high-pressure treatment devices as described above, a region of a portion where the press frame 1 and the others move from a part at which the pressure vessel 3 is positioned, and a region of a portion where the bottom closure elevating frame 12 and others move in a reverse direction are necessary in terms of constitution of apparatus, thus posing a problem that a considerably large space is required for purpose of installation.
Further, in the conventional art shown in FIGS. 5 to 8, since the (reciprocating) movement of the press frame 1 and the (reciprocating) movement of the bottom closure moving frame 11 are respectively independent, there were a problem that an occasion of occurrence of dust caused by the aforesaid movement increases to somewhat lower the treatment under the environment free from dust, and a problem in terms of productivity resulting from a loss of time caused by the independent (individual) movement.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a high-temperature and high-pressure treatment device for the articles to be treated which attains compactness of the whole apparatus while enabling transfer for articles to be treated such as wafers of LSI semiconductors in the stable attitude.
The present invention relates to a high-temperature and high-pressure treatment device having a function of annealing articles to be treated such as LSI semiconductors (articles, particularly sheet articles), typically Si wafers, under an atmosphere of high-temperature and high-pressure gases within a pressure vessel, and a further function of sequentially carrying the articles to be treated in or out of the pressure vessel in order to continuously apply annealing to the articles to be treated, said treatment device providing the following technical means for achieving the aforementioned object. That is, the high-temperature and high-pressure treatment device according to the present invention comprises a module for carrying articles to be treated for carrying said articles to be treated in and out of a pressure vessel, and a press frame module for holding said pressure vessel in an axial direction of vessel when said articles to be treated are subjected to high-temperature and high-pressure treatment in said pressure vessel closed by top and bottom closures, characterized in that said module for carrying articles to be treated and said press frame module are connected and fixed so that both the modules can be reciprocated integrally.
By the provision of the constitution as described, a driving source for the module for carrying articles to be treated, and one corresponding to the bottom closure moving device 17 in the prior art, and a controller for controlling thereof are not necessary, thus achieving compactness of the entire apparatus; and the module for carrying articles to be treated and the press frame module can be reciprocated integrally, whereby not only occurrence of dust caused by movement is suppressed, but also the moving time is not wasteful.
The high-temperature and high-pressure treatment device according to the present invention further comprises, in addition to the above-described constitution, rail members extending on a horizontal surface parallel to each other at a position sandwiching said pressure vessel therebetween, said module for carrying articles to be treated and said press frame module capable of being reciprocated integrally in a longitudinal direction of said rail members.
By the provision of the constitution as described, instability of articles to be treated due to a cantilever mechanism in prior art, and inconveniences such as deflection and deviation can be overcome, and the rail members can be used in common whereby compactness becomes enabled.
Further, the high-temperature and high-pressure treatment device according to the present invention in the above-described constitution provides an arrangement wherein the connected and fixed portion of said module for carrying articles to be treated and said press frame module is a carriage portion.
By the arrangement wherein the connected and fixed portion of said module for carrying articles to be treated and said press frame module is a carriage portion, the connecting and fixing are easy and positive, and stability during carrying (during moving) is enhanced.
Further, in the present invention, said module for carrying articles to be treated is provided with carrying means for reciprocating the articles to be treated in an axial direction of the pressure vessel.